من عدم و افسانه گردم در حنین ** تا تقلب یابم اندر ساجدین
I become naught and (unsubstantial as) a fable in making moan (to God), in order that I may gain influence over (the hearts of) them that prostrate themselves in prayer.
این حکایت نیست پیش مرد کار ** وصف حالست و حضور یار غار
This (story of Moses and Pharaoh) is not a story in the eyes of the man of experience: it is a description of an actual (spiritual) state, and it is (equivalent to) the presence of the Friend of the Cave.
آن اساطیر اولین که گفت عاق ** حرف قرآن را بد آثار نفاق1150
That (phrase) “stories of the ancients,” which the disobedient (infidels) applied to the words of the Qur’án, was a mark of (their) hypocrisy.
لامکانی که درو نور خداست ** ماضی و مستقبل و حال از کجاست
The man transcending space, in whom is the Light of God— whence (what concern of his) is the past, the future, or the present?
ماضی و مستقبلش نسبت به تست ** هر دو یک چیزند پنداری که دوست
His being past or future is (only) in relation to thee: both are one thing, and thou thinkest they are two.
یک تنی او را پدر ما را پسر ** بام زیر زید و بر عمرو آن زبر
One individual is to him father and to us son: the roof is below Zayd and above ‘Amr.
نسبت زیر و زبر شد زان دو کس ** سقف سوی خویش یک چیزست بس
The relation of “below” and “above” arises from those two persons: as regards itself, the roof is one thing only.
نیست مثل آن مثالست این سخن ** قاصر از معنی نو حرف کهن1155
These expressions are not (exactly) similar to that (doctrine of spiritual timelessness): they are a comparison: the old words fall short of the new meaning.
چون لب جو نیست مشکا لب ببند ** بی لب و ساحل بدست این بحر قند
Since there is no river-marge, close thy lips, O waterskin: this Sea of candy hath (ever) been without marge or shore.
فرستادن فرعون به مداین در طلب ساحران
How Pharaoh sent (messengers) to the cities in search of the magicians.
چونک موسی بازگشت و او بماند ** اهل رای و مشورت را پیش خواند
When Moses had returned (home) and he (Pharaoh) remained (with his own people), he called his advisers and counsellors to his presence.